Genes are a segment of DNA that are essentially providing a blueprint of all the instructions that our cells need in order for them to function. Henrietta Lacks and her “immortal” cells have been a fixture in the medical research community for decades: they helped develop the polio vaccine in the 1950s; they traveled to space to see how cells react in zero gravity; they even aided in producing a vaccine and reducing HPV infections. Find out why genetics play a key role in research studies and the importance of Henrietta Lacks’ cells.